Lead Firmware Engineer

Lead Firmware Engineer Overview

An engineering company based in the UK is seeking a Lead Embedded Software Engineer to take charge of embedded software development for its next generation of products. This is a senior position that combines technical leadership with hands-on engineering, and it spans the full product lifecycle from initial concept through to production.

What the role involves

• Leading a small team of engineers while continuing to work directly on technical delivery.
• Writing and maintaining embedded C and C++ software for real-time systems.
• Taking ownership of the software architecture and guiding how it develops over time.
• Driving firmware delivery from concept stage through to production release.
• Investigating and fixing complex issues that involve both hardware and software.
• Helping define, improve, and standardise development, testing, and release processes.
• Working on RTOS-based systems as well as some bare-metal software.
• Developing communication pathways between different parts of the system.
• Contributing to performance-critical embedded products that are used at scale in real-world deployments.

This is not a people-management-only position. The successful candidate will remain deeply involved in engineering work, including coding and solving technical problems, while also providing direction to a small team.

What the company is looking for

• Extensive experience in embedded software development using C and C++.
• Strong practical knowledge of RTOS environments and real-time embedded systems.
• Experience taking responsibility for software architecture or contributing significantly to architectural decisions.
• Confidence working alongside hardware engineers and troubleshooting issues across the full system stack.
• Previous experience mentoring, guiding, or leading other engineers.
• A hands-on approach suited to a role that blends leadership with active development.

Helpful extras

• Experience improving engineering processes or DevOps-style workflows.
• Exposure to modelling tools such as MATLAB or Simulink.
• Interest in newer development tools and methods, including AI-assisted coding.

Package and working style

• Salary of approximately £80,000 to £85,000.
• Bonus scheme.
• Pension.
• Flexible working options, including a 9-day fortnight.
• Hybrid working arrangement.
• A strong engineering culture with a clear product-led focus.

To apply, use the application option provided on the job page.

Degree Requirement: Not Specified

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